In this episode, Alessandro Lombardi, Founder and Chairman of Elea Data Centers, shares how Brazil is emerging as a global hub for green AI infrastructure. He discusses the vision behind Rio AI City, a multibillion-dollar project powered 100% by renewable energy, developed in partnership with the city of Rio de Janeiro. From leveraging Brazil’s abundant hydro, wind, and solar capacity to creating “humanized” data centers that integrate with local communities, Alessandro reveals how Elea is redefining what sustainable digital infrastructure can look like. He also explores Brazil’s unique energy advantage, zero-water cooling systems, and the opportunity to build AI-ready facilities that are both environmentally responsible and socially impactful.
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About
With over 20 years of experience in private equity, corporate finance, and business development in the digital infrastructure sector, Alessandro Lombardi is the Founder and Chairman of Elea Data Centers, working in partnership with global financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, UBS, and BTG Pactual. Recognized as one of the industry’s leading executives, he serves on the Americas Regional Advisory Council of Infrastructure Masons and was named an iMasons IM100 honoree in 2024, in addition to being included in The Tech Capital’s Top 50 Global CEOs list in 2025.
He is the driving force behind Rio AI City, one of the world’s ten largest data center hubs for Artificial Intelligence, designed to position Brazil and Latin America at the forefront of digital transformation. Alessandro holds degrees in Economics and Business Administration from Luiss Guido Carli University and pursued studies in Philosophy and Art History at prestigious Italian universities. He also serves on the boards of EARJ, the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in Brazil, the American School of Rio de Janeiro, and PUC-Rio.
